Fwd Mail1: (Globe Pic) - Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 180 countries of the world considered by Transparency International
Least corrupt nations (ranking 1-5): (green) - Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore and Sweden corner the top five spots -- Most corrupt nations ( ranking > 130) - Red -Bangladesh, Russia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Nepal -- Tie with INDIA (rank 72) - Brazil, People's Republic of China, Mexico -- Others countries - Ranking Switzerland 7, Canada 9, United Kingdom 12, United States of America 20, Malaysia43
Fwd Mail2: (Railway track Pic) - Insight into Decision Making.
A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.
The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange. You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save most of the kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way? Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make........
Answer: Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess. Exactly, to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?
Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was. This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.
The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.. If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.
While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.
'Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right.' - Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.
Occasion: Few days back when i came out of a shopping centre I found my bike missing. Before I could fret an hawker there told me it was towed away. 50metres away was the traffic police centre & my bike would be there.
I was greeted 5 guys whose bikes were also towed, One of them a gawky teenager. pay 300Rs fine & I cud take the bike. Just as I was about to comply I was called by one of those 5 guys. By his body langauge I made out that he was the 'instant leader' there & had gathered trust of the remaining four. He tells me, "see, if we all pay fine its 6 x 300 =1800Rs, I have experience in situations like this. The cop will agree for 1200 ( 200 per head) & he will make receipts as if only 4 bikes were towed. We all can save 100 each, what do you say?"
I stood there, thinking between right & wrong. I was reminded of the above 2 mails which came as Fwd. I also resorted to my core values, prayed to God to give me the strength to choose the right & I told him "No, its wrong. I am not party to it. I have done one mistake parking in no-parking zone, now I dont want to add to corruption. I am paying 300Rs & going away" I went inside to pay fine.
As I paid, I felt someone at my back. I turn back, I see the teenager behind me. He tells me "Sir, what you said is right, so I decided to do like you are doing". We both paid, came out, thereby bringing corruption in India down by 0.000013% ;-)
p.s: Dont congrats me, bcos i wud have chosen the right, considering it was only matter of saving 100Rs ;-) .. but congrat me because today I complete 4 years